Gaaraomeo and JuLeeet
by Cat Streaked By Rain
Summary: At university a lot of things can happen... Like meeting an intriguing black haired boy or a leather-clad redhead. Joint writing of ComaWhite.X and I. YAOI!
1. Chapter 1

It was bright

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Blargh.

This is a story ComaWhite.X and are writing together. If you can figure out who is writing which part I'll write a oneshot of your choice. D But yeah, here it goes and feel free to send me anything you liked or didn't or whatever. Sorry to all of you who read my stories and want me to update. School is draining me and I haven't been home long enough to write much anyway… I'm also waiting to get the new computer before I posted anything else of my own. Not sure how often this will be updated so bare with me.

LookAndSee

It was bright.  
The sun shone down upon a young man, who couldn't have looked more out of place.  
His long, black, leather coat hung heavily off of his lean yet toned frame, creaking whenever he moved his right hand up to his pale, flesh-pink lips to take a drag of his cigarette. A mop of hair coloured like blood stained sand grew out of his pale scalp in a spiky mess. Though he was pale, Asian features graced him with their natural beauty.  
A camera hung about his neck, lens less and protected from dust with its cap and a large black folder flopped against his leg. The leather he wore groaned in disapproval as he shifted slightly and took another drag of his cancer stick. He frowned as smoke billowed out of his nose and slightly open mouth. He had been standing there for fifteen minutes now, watching as fellow students left the building his back was pressed against.  
His name was Gaara Shukaku Sabaku, aged 19, a new addition to Konoha State University in the US of A.

**A sunny and cheerful day greeted one man in particular. He had an air of happiness about him that either caused those around him to laugh in pleasure or groan in annoyance. The usual ten watt smile graced his face as he began to look over his medical notes. Glossy black hair hung around his face in a circular shape. Neat and orderly. Everything about him was organized. From his bushy, but perfectly shaped eyebrows, to his forest green t-shirt, his slightly baggy jeans, and even his white tennis shoes were shiny. ****  
****He is one named Rock Lee, 20 years of age, and it was his first year of college in his home town.**

**Gaara pushed off from the wall with a roll of his shoulders and looked at his timetable.  
Smiling secretly to himself, he slid the latex covered sip of paper into the pocket of his drainpipe jeans with slight painful difficulty, picked up the folder from the ground, and strode to his lecture early, the map of campus etched into his mind as he turned in the courtyard.  
"So, anyway, there was this big, blinding light and then..." He strode past a couple of girls. From what he could see of them, one had daringly pink hair and the other a natural looking blonde. He felt their gazes on my back, and his scowl darkened considerably as their looks sizzled the skin on my back.  
The hall was dark, with a mauve skirting and cream, ill lit walls.  
****_L2  
L2  
_****He ran the initials through my mind, teal eyes scouring doors for them.  
Ah, there it was. L2.**

**Glancing at his watch, Lee gasped to see he only had a few minutes till his next class. He picked up his feet and just about ran into a couple of girls standing in the corridor. "Sorry!" He said as he passed them and zoomed past an interesting looking man with red hair. And covered in leather. Swerving to miss him as well, his black bowl cut was slightly messed up. Lee skidded to a halt into front of his next class ad panted. "That was close..." He opened the door about to go in.**

**A gust of wind disturbed the air around Gaara, and the ghost of a sweet scent tingled in his nose. He turned his neck swiftly as the hairs on the back of his neck stood in the other body's presence.  
"That was close..." He heard them say. He soaked up their appearance greedily with his cold, impassive eyes. A green t-shirt clung to his torso and left his muscled, tanned arms bare, slightly baggy jeans creased as he stepped forward, hand wrapped firmly around the door knob and almost blindingly white tennis shoes poked out from beneath those trousers. His hair was a black, bordering on incredibly dark brown and was cut as if someone had placed a bowl on his head and precisely snipped any hair that peeked out from the rim. It was also shiny, very shiny.  
He wondered whether he used Brunette silk and shine. His sister, Temari, used the Blonde version you see, and it did make hair look very shiny.  
The bell rang coarsely and the redhead winced before striding into the lecture hall and finding a place on a bench.**

When he opened the door, Lee was embarrassed to find he was in the wrong class. At least for right now. It seemed he'd stumbled onto a History lecture. After muttering apologies, he backed out of the room and closed the door. With an exasperated sigh the youthful man went to the door the intriguing leather clad male had used. "Now this is English." Opening it and closing it his jeans swished around his legs as he looked around for a seat to sit. Since he had arrived later than usual most of the seats were filled by now.

**"Can anyone tell me-" The teacher was cut off as the door behind the class opened and closed. The student Gaara had seen in the hallway stood with his back to the frosted glass, a flustered blush warming his face.  
"S-sorry I'm late." He spoke loud enough for the lecturer up front to hear.  
The be specked man nodded and continued.  
Gaara watched as the nameless pupil started down the stairs, looking for empty places, his wide, dark eyes scouring the benches and sighed, placing his head in his hand, feeling his teeth push together. The red head had read and analysed this book before, and he sure as hell wasn't going to read it again.  
He tore his eyes away from the anonymous male and stared at the illustration on the cover of ****Romeo and Juliet**** as kafuffle****; shuffling and a few whispered apologies, could be heard along the row.  
A presence nestled beside him and he knew that Mr Green T-shirt had found a seat.**

"I hope you do not mind... This was the only seat left." The shuffling of papers could be heard as the young man searched for his writing materials. A notebook and a pen was set on the flat surface and he began to scribble notes down. On the sly, or so he thought, Lee tried to sneak peaks of the man next to him. The red hair was something new for him since there were no other flame haired persons he knew of. All that leather looked a tad uncomfortable but who was he to judge.

Gaara slouched over onto the desk, placing his hands out in front of him and placing his chin on top of them. The leather he wore was beginning to get uncomfortable; it constricted the arms and forced the back to ache in discomfort. Gaara considered taking it off, but seeing as Bowlie beside him kept on uh..._sneaking_ glances at me, he felt uncomfortable doing so. He meant, seriously, this guy could be a little more subtle. He looked like he was mentally undressing the photographer.  
Gaara turned to look at him and the next time he went to flick his eyes over the artist's structure, a deep blush spread over his face and down his neck. Gaara bit back a snigger, and then turned back towards the whiteboard.

_Damn him...Why does he have to be so hot? _He tried unsuccessfully to return his attention to the professor talking but he just couldn't. Leather pleasure over there was making it rather hard for him to concentrate. Now he had never cared what others had thought of him. That was why his best friends were Naruto and Kiba and obviously the man sitting next to him didn't care either for all that cow skin he wore.

_The teal eyed man rubbed at his face, along the brow, and felt the pale hairs there tickle back against his calloused fingers. He knew that the lesson would be over not too soon, and he couldn't wait to stretch his legs. Before sir-peeks-a-lot decided to come and take a closer look, Gaara had considered himself lucky enough to have room to stretch his legs out to the side if needed. Now Bowlie's long, hidden legs were there. Gaara silently cursed them and shot venomous scowls at them.  
__Stupid legs. It's not even like I can sneak glances at them, because they're so covered. __He thought and glared at the offending limbs, hearing his coat squeak and groan slightly as he repositioned his arm and head.  
He found himself wondering if they had larger space for people to stretch their legs at the university he was originally meant to attend. Gaara's hand tightened its grip on his chin in protest. It wouldn't matter if they had had larger leg space, they still would have been filled with stuck up people with high expectations.  
He growled to myself under my breath._

Most of the other students were getting restless as the end of class came closer. Some were napping though in the back and hadn't paid attention at all. _Wonder what their grade cards will look at the end of the year._ More words were added to the paper in front of him as the blackboard filled with letters in a jumble. His stomach growled faintly since that morning he had hit the ground running without stopping for substance. College had been a big change for him. Though he was relieved his room was empty for now but knowing his luck he'd get a roomie in no time with the last admissions. _Three...two...one..._

**A bell in the hallway rang, muffled by the door and walls that separated the rooms. The dampened noise was hidden as people stood abruptly, stretching, collecting their materials, checking timetables and talking. Gaara grabbed his folder from beneath the table and proceeded to carefully and orderly place his belongings inside as the class headed towards the small door in a swarm, the chatter now becoming a sociable hum buzzing through the air.  
Securing his camera over his shoulder, he grasped the folder firmly and turned to leave. Bowlie was stood there, staring at him, into his eyes.  
The boy's eyes, Gaara noticed, were big and dark and they held something that he couldn't quite put my finger on. It was not innocence, for there is no such thing as innocence, but there was something...calm. Something calm about them that easily showed each emotion that flew over his mind.  
It was paralyzing. **

Lee found the way he just stood there and stared at him was slightly unnerving. His eyes were beautiful though. Sea green and all that eyeliner really worked on him. Most goths and emo's just looked ridiculous but he just pulled the look off. Right before the late bell rang, thoughts of lunch had scrolled through Lee's brain. The thought that he should risk getting laughed at and invite him along skittered into full view. He opened his mouth and shut it before attempting to try again.  
"Would you like to have lunch with me?"


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

_With the whisper of leather flying through the air and squeak from his boots, Gaara turned the corner of the hall. In front of him, the bowl cut haired male named Lee strode confidently to pick up a dinner tray and join the queue for food._

_Switching the A3 folder in his right hand to his left, he followed suit and ended up two people away from the strange young man. Standing in line, Gaara thought back to only a couple of minutes ago._

_"Would you like to have lunch with me?" The boy who had sat next to him in English asked. Gaara looked at him sceptically, analysing his intentions. Once finding those large, dark eyes filled with an anxious naivety, he nodded and muttered a simple, "Yes."_

_At this the boy gasped slightly and grinned toothily, "Good! My name's Lee!"_

_A dark skinned hand was offered to Gaara, who took it in his own pale one and shook once with a firm grip._

_"Gaara."_

_The next thing he knew, he was here, surrounded by the aroma of food, and by people individually dressed, by the hubbub of college life. Being surrounded by such things was still foreign to him, after being shadowed from society for so long._

_It's all... so busy. The college life assaulted a person's senses at every turn and it could have a dizzying effect on one's mind. It was times like this that made Lee think about his decision and question it but he always reminded himself why he was there. To help people. The work was demanding. The rewards were much greater than the demand. As Lee had been distracted by his wandering train of thought, he glanced over at his new friend. At least I think we are friends. The way Gaara acted suggested he was normally a withdrawn person. Like he didn__'t interact with many others. Maybe not even anyone outside his family. Plus his posture was slightly tense… as if so many people around him wasn__'t what he was used to. Or it may be that everyone was much more colourful here than the students in high school had been. "Gaara…?" His voice was hesitant but not in the least timid. Dark outlined eyes focused on him. "You seem a bit uncomfortable… Is it me?"_

_"...No." His answer was quick, but not hard and sharp as his voce usually was, instead it was softer, reassuring._

_Well, Gaara hoped it was, at least._

_It wasn't Lee that was making him uncomfortable, well, it wasn't anymore, he had been pestering with those hungry looks during the last lesson, but rather the alien feeling of being surrounded by people, and the heaters over the food weren't doing a very good job of cooling him down, either. As the red head shrugged his shoulders to readjust his coat and get more air to his neck, He took a Styrofoam tray of plain pasta and placed in on his tray. _

_Shoulders relaxed visibly. For a moment Lee was sure he had forced Gaara into accepting his invitation in some way and he didn__'t want to impose on his isolated lifestyle. He himself was a very social person and liked to talk with others. A person could learn so much about a person just by asking for the other__'s opinion on a subject or anything in general. In his heart of hearts, Lee truly believed that everyone needed someone to be there for them. No matter what. __I__'__ll be that someone for Gaara_. "I'm glad." The second blinding smile of the day appeared and a ghost of a smile graced his companion's lips in return. "I don't want to seem nosy but… what's with the leather pleasure attire?" Chocolate brown eyes widened as he realized he'd let slip the name he invented when first encountering him.

As Gaara watched the older man before him panic, he paid for his pasta and Lee's food too, then strode to a table, hearing Lee follow him. 

As they sat down, he let their eyes meet and said, "I'm a leather fetishist." And left it at that.

Gaara smiled to himself as the already large brown eyes of Lee doubled in size, though you wouldn't see it if you didn't know Gaara well.

Gaara _was _a leather fetishist, he found tight leather pants the most attractive, the way they clung to thighs and to the groin. God the thought made him weak at the knees.

Silence clung in the air, as dewdrops would to a spider's web, and then it was broken.

"You paid for my lunch, didn't you?" The red-head enquired, eyebrow raised.

"I really shouldn't have let you do that…" Lee said, smiling. "I was the one to invite you to lunch after all." Today was getting to be very unusual. Normally he'd be bored to death in class and then just pass the rest of the day studying. _So he likes leather__…__ That would get interesting in a relationsh- _That thought derailed his normal though process. _Have I already gotten myself that deep? _

But since Lee had met Gaara everything had been interesting. It was a good change of pace. Though his friend always seemed to get the jump on him with surprises. _Maybe it__'__s time I get back at him. Or at least try._

"Gaara…"He paused until he was sure he had the other's attention. "What do you think I would look like in leather?"

Gaara paused in chewing his mouthful of oily pasta, and then swallowed.

The image was burning fiercely in his mind.

Leather pants, skin tight and hanging low, un-laced at the top showing a small trail of coarse, black and wiry hair leading down. He was tied up by his wrists, by what wasn't important, and shitless, those muscles, perfectly defined, rippled as he shifted. His chest, slightly shiny with perspiration, heaved with each breath he took. His breath puffed out of rouged lips and clouded his lusty, dark eyes...

"Gaara?" Lee waved a hand in front of said boy's eyes that blinked a few times before returning to the room.

"I think that you would look exceptional." The red-head breathed and looked down at his pasta which didn't seem all that appetising anymore.

That look of raw lust that had invaded Gaara's eyes for a moment had equally aroused and startled Lee so that he just had to wake him from it. _What did I look like in his mind to make him react like that?_ After all, he wasn't a prude when it came to something like this. Just...unexperienced. All his relationships so far had been very short and not that spectacular in the least. _I bet Gaara would be spectacular in bed._ An image of the red head lying on sweat soaked sheets, covered in his own cum, and panting while a blush flooded his blinked, hoping that his eyes hadn't revealed his on the present situation, he noticed the pasta on Gaara's plate wasn't being touched. It seemed they both weren't that hungry. _I'm certainly not._

_"Shall we go for a walk?" Gaara suggested, now adjusting the strap of his camera so that it did not rub too harshly on his neck._

_Lee looked up and nodded, collecting both trays of their uneaten food and throwing away the leftovers._

*

Outside the air was still warm and fresh. Students were standing in groups laughing raucously, hugging and throwing food at each other. A Frisbee flew past the two boys as they stepped out into the sunlit court and the sound of smashing glass followed. There was a yelp and a couple of screams followed by laughter. Gaara looked at Lee as he laughed along, hand over his chest, rubbing as if the shock of the unexpected crash had caused his heart to abuse his ribcage. 

"You okay Gaara?" When he got a nod in reply, Lee looked up when a shout caught his attention."Hey man!" The voice came from none other than Naruto and Kiba wasn't far behind. Both his friends smiled and clapped him on the back after a reunion hug."I thought you guys weren't going here..." Lee trailed off, shrugged. "We got cut when we a certain... Dean lost his roadkill." A mischeivous smile formed on both their rolled his eyes and smiled. "Always up to trouble.""What can we say? We're free spirits," Kiba said.A small cough alerted him to the fact that he'd been ignoring his latest friend."Guys? This is Gaara."

The blonde and brunette passed their eyes over Gaara's lithe form. The brunette, Kiba, though Gaara did not know that, gave him a large grin and held out a hand to be shaken. Grasping it, Gaara gave a brisk and stiff shake.

"Kiba." Kiba muttered, introducing himself to the young man before him.

Naruto, in turn, gave a nervous little laugh and scratched the back of his head.

"Hi, Gaara, I'm-I'm Naruto." He trailed off, laughter slowly dying and leaving the four boys in a somewhat uncomfortable silence.

"Uhm, anyway, about the Dean!" Kiba began, smiling toothily and showing unnaturally sharp canines.

"Yeah, what did you do?" Lee jumped.

Gaara was left to stare at the red smudges on Kiba's cheeks and the black lines, reminiscent of whiskers, on Naruto's as the three boy's talked excitedly between themselves.

About five minutes into the telling, Lee noticed that he had been completely ignoring Gaara._ How could I be that rude?! _"Um guys?" Kiba was imitating exactly how the cat had attcked the hairpiece by using Nauto's hair when they paused. "Not that I'm not happy to see you or anything but... I promised to spend time with Gaara. That okay?"Naruto quickly nodded, looking sideways at said mentioned person, and Kiba gave him a thumb's up. "Sure dude. Check ya later!"Waving, the two wandered off towards to middle of the campus the back of his head and sweatsdropping in embarrasment, the almost ebony-haired man smiled apologetically. "I hope I didn't offend you... It's been a while since I've seen them." His face was touched by fear. "You're not mad are you? I'll spend the rest of the day with you?" Pulling out his secret weapon, he turned his puppy dog eyes on to full blast.

**Looking into Lee's eyes, they say his heart grew two sizes that day.**

**Grinch lovers.**

But really, when Gaara looked into those deep, mahogany eyes, he felt himself crack a little, his mask loosen.

"I'm not mad. Anyway, I do believe that we have different lessons, unless you are willing to become a photographer?" He smirked.

Lee frowned, his mighty eyebrows drawing close. "No."

With a little pout, he grasped Gaara's arm and held it close to his chest, walking with long strides. Gaara fought to catch up.

"Welll..." Lee was trying hard to think of a way for them to get together. It was true that their careers were totally different so if they couldn't see each other in classes then...

"Hey!" His face lit up as he got a perfect idea.

Gaara raised an eyebrow waiting for him to complete his sentence.

"We should go out somewhere. But where..." He hadn't had time to scope out the hot spots but he really wasn't a party person unless his friends dragged him along. _Maybe a dance club._

A vision of them grinding against each other, hot and sweaty, to the pounding music all around them. Bodies pressing in on them, putting them closer.

"There's a nice park over in the town centre. Not many people go there because it's near the bad side of town. But it's nice, it's safe." Gaara mumbled and rubbed at his nose.

Lee looked to him and grinned, all thoughts of the club swirling away into the depths of his conscience maybe to reappear in a dream or at some inopportune moment. "I'll meet you there at seven."

With that, the bell rang in the distance and the two boys were forced to leave awkwardly, unsure of how to bid each other good bye.

His classes passed without much happening. Other than his friends jumping him outside his last class of the day. "Hey guys. I'd love to go out but I kinda have an appointment already."They exchanged glances before smiling devilishly. "Is she hot?"Lee looked at Kiba with his mouth slightly agape. _Yes __he__ is. Smokin' actually._Gathering his wits about him, Lee hasitly made his excuses and ran to the safety of his dorm until he left.


	3. Chapter 3

As Gaara walked down the street towards the park, he scolded himself.

Why there? Why of _all the places in Konoha_ did he choose _there_?

Never before had he let someone in so easily, so willingly. Never before had he met someone with such an attractive personality.

Tucking a lock of his hair behind his ear, Gaara stepped up to the gate, and unlatched it before pushing it open. It whined on its hinges and then clanged and clattered against the fencing to its side.

A gust of wind swept dark hair into a mess as Lee hurried to the park. It wasn't a cold afternoon thank goodness but it did hold the promise of a frost to shook a little and pulled his cost tighter just in case. "This better be worth it," he grumbled before he repirmiaded himself. This had been his idea after all beggars can't be choosers. A few leaves were caught in the wind and the flash of reds, oranges, yellows,a nd browns were beautiful. "I love fall."Cars drove down the road carrying happy people to their destinations. Others walked the streets taking advantage of the nice weather before the snow hit.

Gaara sat on a cold, wooden bench sheltered by a stone wall backing it and a slanting roof up top. It's thick, green, lumpy paint was beginning to chip and peel off in places, showing the damp grains of wood. Burying his nose into his scarf in a meek attempt to keep it warm, the red-head frowned and once again scolded himself for his choice. Not only had he brought Lee to _this _park, he brought him here on a cold day.

He glanced around at the trees and hedges lining the park. It almost brought a smile to his face. Fall was beautiful to him. It was not yet dead, not too young and naïve, not a flourish of greens and heat. But not all aspects of fall suited him. Take for example the sycamore tree over the far left of the park. Its leaves shrivel and turn a tawny colour, lightening the bark they cluster around. Compared to the glorious acid yellow of the leaves on a tree beside Gaara, whose bright and intact leaves darkened the bark to ebony, it was ugly and scathing. Then, look at the gorgeous reds that splattered themselves in an array of coppers to crimsons on the silver birch over by the entrance. Its beauty was rare, pale, glowing bark and swaying, long, weeping branches, dappled in terracotta.

The gate beside the tree swung open with its customary screech and Gaara forced himself to his feet as Lee entered, skin paled and blotched red from the cold.

What seemed like ten thousand watts of electricity lit up Lee's smile as he headed towards what in Lee's opinion was a hunksicle. Gaara was sitting on bench that had seen better days but the fall scene that became the back ground was breath-taking. Gaara seemed right at home in this setting which put the thought in Lee's head that deep down, even though he acted tough, Gaara was softie. Well...maybe a little deeper down but still. He joined him on the bench, sitting a tad closer than he would if it had been Naruto or Kiba but it was chilly. And he wanted to be near to the other the wind settled a red leaf fluttered and landed in Lee's lap. He picked it up and gazed at it before glancing over at Gaara. It was the exact shade of his hair and he said so.

A flutter of a smile passed over Gaara's lips as he thanked the brunette before him.

A moment of silence passed, and a gust of wind blew, showing Lee a kanji mark on Gaara's forehead that had previously been obstructed by strands of crimson hair.

"Is that a tattoo?" Lee asked, reaching out a gloved hand to touch the skin. Gaara quickly shoved his own un-gloved hand over the top of the symbol and looked at Lee with unreadable eyes.

"No." And he was right, as he withdrew his hand, the kanji smudged and left a red blotch on his forehead. Looking at his red hand, Gaara brought it to his mouth and let his tongue run smoothly and flatly over the surface before rubbing it against his other palm quickly.

Lee thought about what he had just witnessed as Gaara's pink tongue ran over the surface of his palm. _What was that about?_ He hadn't known him for long so it wasn't proper for him to pry. He decided to let it rest for the moment. "Here." He took out a tissue and handed it to Gaara. Gaara accepted and went on cleaning his hands."How about we take a walk?" There were a few people in the park but it was relatively quiet. His hand tightened his scarf that had become untied and stood up. He turned, smiled, and held a hand for Gaara. "Well?"

Gaara took the hand in his clean one, the tissue still placed in his palm, and was pulled up to stand with the other boy, who he then realised was another three inches or so taller than him. With a little yawn, they began to wonder over to the bridge that crossed the wide stream down by the shrubbery.

As they walked, Lee hummed a song he'd heard earlier that day. It was a different one than what he usually listened to. The song was 'Animal I have Become' by Three Days Grace and he thought about finding more songs by walked instep with one another as they crossed a bridge and set off into a path that winded through the trees.

The hand still grasped by Lee's snuggled into the warmth of the thick woolen glove. The tissue Lee had handed him was now a tight, useless ball in his clammy palm and his reddened hand was thrust into the pocket of his jacket. Their footsteps rustled the leaves and left them in a worsened state. The occasional clack of another dry leaf falling to the floor accompanied the couple as they walked, and had Gaara looking over his shoulder at intervals, afraid that someone was following them.

The wind blew sparsely and the red-head watched as Lee's longish hair was thrown around and settled again, out of place. It was like watching an advert for a damage repair shampoo.

The comforting silence of the fall forest calmed Lee as he walked on down the beaten path. Belatedly he felt something wiggle in his hand and looked down to realize he still held Gaara's hand. Since he had pulled it back, Lee mentally shrugged and kept walking. It was nice just spending time with someone. He hadn't had time to do it ever since classes had began and his new friend didn't demand he talk like Naruto and Kiba sometimes did.

A couple passed Gaara and Lee, their hands entwined and giddy smiles on their faces. Smiles and nods were exchanged between Lee and them, and then they carried on, soft mumbles of conversation trailing through the air in their wake. Gaara attempted to catch a word or two, but failed miserably.

Just to break the silence to do something other than look at scenery, Lee asked a question. It had been on his mind since Gaara didn't look the part. Well the tortured artist maybe but not quite. It struck him as odd in some way.

"Why did you pick photography to pursue?"

Gaara pondered for a moment, his hands clenching and unclenching in his pockets, thumb rubbing over the tissue.

"Why?" He asked, "I don't know. I suppose...have you ever glanced across the horizon and seen a picture of ethereal beauty, a scene of overwhelming elegance?" He stopped and glanced at Lee, whose eyes stared back at him, a silent representation of his awe. A small, slow nod was sent his way, and he faced forwards again.

"Whenever I see something like that, something that...makes me want to smile and sit and watch, that makes me want to break this mask, this antisocial behaviour, I try to keep it in my mind...But it breaks, and I can't see it anymore. I see something else...But-but when I'm with Cameron – my camera – I don't have to let it break, I can capture it, and I can share the feeling with others." The red-head suddenly frowned, and passed his hand over his forehead, missing the smudge staining his skin before drawing back into his jacket.

"You see?" He whispered, and turned his head back to the leafy ground.

During the whole explanation while Gaara bared his soul it seemed, Lee was staring at him and thinking about how much more there was to him than he had thought. At first he had only seen a loner who dressed up, seeming like he was begging for attention. Now he saw a very thoughtful. He paid attention to the world instead of wanting people to pay attention to him. In that sense, they were were alike. he loved to help those to needed help and would rather think of their needs before his own. Which he mostly did. It seemed as if he bended over backwards to help them.

"You are a deep thinker and you pay attention to the world in ways most people have forgotten to," he said, his eyes still on the flame haired man.

Gaara's head swivelled towards the brunette's and his eyes struck him with an unsure gaze.

"I suppose." He uttered, then tore his eyes away and back to the path which now began to open up back into the main body of the park, now becoming deserted in the lateness of the hour.

"Well..." Lee started to say. But he stopped since he wasn't sure exactly how he was going to phrase his life's calling. "I'm planning to be a Nurse." Looking around, he noticed how late it was getting and how much colder it was. Pretty soon the sun would set and the darkness would reign all.

"'You wouldn't prefer to be in the operating room?" Gaara asked and then buried his lower face in his scarf so his next speech was muffled, "I hear Nurse's get the arse of the jobs."

Lee shrugged and a toned down smile lit his features. "Well more like just being there for people you know? I love to help others when they are at their most vulnerable.... That's when you can get to know the real person underneath the usual facade they put on in front of others."

"...Hm." Gaara let his eyes stray from the young mans sunlit profile, unknowing as to when he had began to, once more, stare. The steady rhythm of their feet crunching over the fine pebbles of the path changed as Lee led them onto a small arching bridge that crossed over a glistening stream, reflecting the lamp's light.

"I do love to just walk and wander around. It gives a person time to think and appreciate the view," Lee said. As he spoke the last few words, he glanced at Gaara who walked along side him. The setting sun light caught in his s hair, setting fire to the liocks. It looked as if Gaara had a fiery halo surrounding his head. _My fiery angel... Appropriate._

Oblivious to Lee's thoughts, Gaara wet his lips with a swipe of his tongue, nodded and then pulled out a small point and press camera from his coat pocket. With a whirr it turned on, and the red head set to adjusting the setting and checking the focusing through the screen.

Chocolate orbs flickered dark as they watched the pink muscle apply moisture to chapped lips. Lee looked away and gulped. _All too tempting. What is going to stop me from jumping him when it becomes too much? _Trying to focus all his attention to the task of Gaara messing with his camera his eyes widen when he realized one thing. _Nothing._

With the photo taken, Gaara let a small fondness warm his being as he once again gazed out over the trickle of water, then stiffened as it disappeared, all too conscious of the sun setting and the night time quickly approaching. He should be at home, his siblings...They would worry.

"It's getting Late." He stated, and turned swiftly to face his classmate.

Blinking in mild confusion, Lee looked around and realized that it was indeed getting dark but only just. "So soon?" His tone showed how reluctant he was to part from Gaara. Already he was getting in too deep. "But it's only just getting dark." Flicking some dark brown hairs that looked ebony in the deepening sky, he wacth the other.

"I have to get back home. My siblings are waiting." Gaara let a soft look grace his features in a form of apology. "I have to contact some people, too." There was a pause as the breeze tousled Lee's hair, throwing it into his young, disappointed face and pushed harshly on the red head's back.

"But we will see each other tomorrow in class." Gaara added, hoping that it was not his words that had caused the brunette's face to droop.

"Oh," Lee said. "Well I guess you probably should get going then." He erased the disappointed look and put on a smile. "Wish I had sibling to worry about me but I'm an only child."He attempted to push down the messy locks but gave up. "What's it like having siblings?"

Yes he knew he should let Gaara go but he just didn't want to. Not this soon.

What was it like?

Well, it was...it was...

"I'm not sure. We were never very close. Recently – " Gaara paused unable to explain the strange interactions between him and his siblings, ones were their lips may split into a fond smile, or when a frown crossed their features and their eyes swirled with an unidentified emotion, "Recently it has been different."

They stood, two dark, bulky figures against the setting autumns' sun, for a while, a strangely comfortable silence only broken by the whistle of wind through baring tree branches filling the chilled air, then Gaara broke it,

"I really should be getting home..."

"Ah..." He started and bit his lip. The wind mussed his hair once again and he sighed before blowing the annoying pieces out of his face. "I guess it is hard to put into words. How having siblings is like that is." Lee noticed how chilly it was getting and it was quite dark out. "Yeah you should. Wouldn't want your family to worry." Grinning, he glanced at the man beside him. "If you want..." Biting his lips again in thought, he finished his sentence. _Might as well ask. _"I could walk you home if you want."


	4. Chapter 4

"Yes, I would like that." Gaara let his confused frown drop and softened his features, pulling his scarf tighter around his neck and then balling his cold hands into fists and placing them into his pockets, they turned to leave the bridge.

Lee smiled happily and followed the red headed man that was leading them off the bridge and out of the park. I guess this won't be so awkward as I thought. Just wait until Naruto and Kiba hear about this! Mentally chuckling at how his friends would react, mostly with catcalls and teasing, the young man fell into step with Gaara. "So... How long have you lived with your siblings?"

"Most of my life. For a small period we were separated, but that changed after a few concerning events." Gaara replied, his gaze fixed on the gravel beneath his feet and eyes growing distant.

As Gaara spoke, his voice became more of a monotone once he mentioned events occurring that kept him and his siblings apart. His eyes were more settled than usual as well. "I'm glad that you were able to be with them again. It sounds like you care for them a lot."

Gaara inwardly laughed at the statement, thinking back to a time when he would have lashed out at such a suggestion.  
"I suppose so." The redhead shivered and huddled into himself, cursing the bitter cold, "We turn here."

Nodding to his direction, Lee turned at the indicated corner and kept by the other man's side. The night reigned as cat slinked out from behind dumpsters and a few dogs called out in the night. Curtains fluttered as figures quickly disappeared behind the fabric. Some people weren't satisfied with their soaps so they spied on others to get their entertainment. Despicable.

The walk was quiet, silent almost as both young men travelled through town, the quiet sound of their footsteps echoing through primarily empty streets and puffs of moist vapour issuing from their mouths. Gaara shoved his hands, aching from the harsh cold, further into his pockets and shivered, cursing. It wasn't too far now.

His neck lowered as Lee tried to find so warmth in the suddenly harsh cold of the night. Not knowing it, he was inching closer to Gaara's side, his body seeking out the heat. Curse this damned weather…why could it be warmer!

"Here." Gaara stopped at the top of a close and turned to look at Lee. "You don't have to walk me any further."

Regret flashed through Lee as he realized he was being asked to leave. He didn't want to leave the red head's side but being overly clingy too soon wouldn't be a good idea. "I'd rather see you safely to your door but if you want me too leave I will, Gaara." Flashing a smile, he turned to go and began walking down the street.

"Lee." Gaara called back to the retreating form.

Lee stopped and turned to face Gaara. He had only gotten a few steps away before he was called to. "Yes?"

"I'll be blunt," Gaara began, wincing a little as wind blew his red hair into his eyes, "I like you."

"Really?" Lee asked, voice almost incredulous with the implications. "I...I like you, too." To put it lightly.

With a smile and a tilt of the head, Gaara turned down the street, heading off into the orange glow of a streetlamp.

Intrigued, Lee jogged a little to catch up with the red head that was walking toward a streetlamp. Once he caught up with him, he fell into step with the other man.

Gaara took a side long glance at Lee, not all too sure of why he was following. "Is something the matter?"

Lee levelled Gaara with a confuse stare. "Nothing. I was just heading of to my dorm room…" He pointed at the street corner a few feet away. "I turn right from there and keep going."

"Ah..." Damn, Gaara thought, this will be hard to do. Why he didn't want Lee to see his drive away in a car he wasn't sure, but something about the thought left an unsavoury taste in his mouth.

Something about Gaara's body language told him that the other man was uneasy though he didn't have any idea why. "I'll see you tomorrow," Lee said waving and walking past the red head to continue on to the corner of the street he was going to turn on. "Have a nice night, 'kay?" Looking past his shoulder as he said this, he flashed a bright smile to the other before turning and walking towards his dorm.

Gaara stood and looked blankly at the spot where Lee had been standing, the cold protective mask he had created beginning to slip back over him in the orange glow of street lamps. "Huh..." A smile, ever so slight, pulled at the muscles of Gaara's cheeks, his bay leaf green eyes softening momentarily before he turned and crossed the road, pulling his keys from his pocket as he did. The car was rickety, but it was all he needed.

On his way back to his room, he enjoyed the cool night and wondered why Gaara had been acting that way but it wasn't in his nature to pry. He'd let the red head be until he decided to confide in him and become more comfortable around him. He knew his friends would most likely bug him about this evening but Lee really just wanted to flop into bed and sleep. Today had been interesting, more so than most of his young life.

The door closed behind him, the car rocked slightly and the keys slipped into the ignition slot jerkily before turning. The engine sputtered to life, Gaara pulled his seatbelt over his chest to click in place. He headed on home...

Reaching his dorm, he entered and took the rickety elevator up to his floor. Stepping out, he walked down the hall to turn the door knob to his room which he shared with a man named Neji. He was quiet and reserved, but studied most of his time away so they were alike in that aspect. Lee found his roommate nose deep in a book, barely glancing over at him as he entered the room. The med student slipped out of his clothes, climbed into his bed just wearing boxers and settled down to sleep.

"Do you have to drink that stuff quite so strong?" Gaara gave a deadpan stare at his older brother before raising the mug to his lips and taking a deliberately long gulp. The robust lines of Kankuro's face creased in a wince before hiding back behind the newspaper. Temari eyed her brothers wearily and wondered just how she had ended up with such a strange family. With one who believed his purple lipstick (and the rest of his face paints) were not, in any way, camp, and another who acted almost allergic to general attention, a good reference on his C.V. and sweet food, it was a surprise she had only just escaped with a slightly strange hairstyle and a job painting fans and then selling them for vast amounts of money. She grabbed her keys from the table. "I'm going to the studio. Behave."

He blinked as sunlight assaulted his eyes. Blinking repeatedly until he could see properly, the slim figure next to the window, and who had opened it in the first place, tossed a pillow at Lee. "Get up," Neji said, already dressed and ready to go get breakfast. "Kiba and Naruto are waiting for you and they insisted I get you up." Barely suppressing a groan, the med student clambered out of his bed and dragged himself over to his dresser. Yanking out neatly pressed jeans, a t-shirt, and socks, he put them on while yawning. He wasn't a morning person though as a general rule, he tried to be happy. "Thanks," Lee yawned, yanking on a pair of Vans before walking out of his dorm room and finding his two friends leaning against the wall outside of it.

It was as the door clanked shut behind Temari that a silence lapsed over the two young men at the kitchen table, the clatter of uneven fork teeth against a ceramic plate and the occasional rustle of the newspaper being the two main sounds to reach searching ears. Gaara's mind wandered, his eyes became half lidded and unfocussed. "Do we have enough food in the house?" His brother asked, his crop of brown hair and small beetle black eyes appearing over the rim of the sports pages. A shrug was his less than helpful response.  
...Silence...

"How was last night?" Kiba asked, grinning widely and going over to drape an arm over the groggy male's shoulders. "Took a walk and held hands with him," Lee grunted and started walking to the elevator, in effect dragging his friend with him. "Him?" Naruto questioned his grin wider than Kiba's as he followed them. "You didn't say it was a guy," the blonde teased. "Didn't ask," the med student shot back, coherent even though he'd rather not be up. "I'm hungry." And with that, he stepped into the elevator, followed by his friends and they made their way out of the dorm and off to the cafeteria. There wasn't many people since college students often slept in as often as they could unless their best friends dragged them out of their nice, warm beds. Or they were a morning person. Freaks. They grabbed some food and sat down, eating in silence. Well, Lee did while the other two chatted away and threw him grins every now and then.

Gaara tugged at the hem of his trouser legs, placing them forcefully over his shoes. A ramshackle and worn, threading sweater rid up on his otherwise bare back as he straightened up and grabbed his keys. Part of him wanted to curse his brother, the other part wished to bless him. He did, after all, find it hard to get out of the house without an excuse. The excuse of buying more bread was just too good to pass up for lazing around or studying. The sound of him clearing his throat acted as a 'goodbye' to which he received a 'yeah, yeah, get granary.' Eyes flicked out to the narrow living room in which his brother picked at a coil of wire before the fresh air beckoned him all too much from the open door and he took a step out into the cool morning air.

His spoon clattered against the side of his empty cereal bowl and he stood up. "See you guys later," Lee said, yawning and took his dish to the conveyer belt that took the dirty dishes to the back where others would clean them. "Fine grumpy," Naruto called after the retreating to-be-nurse and continued talking to Kiba who had waved their friend off. It didn't do any good trying to argue with Lee this early in the morning, the sun wasn't even past its zenith yet. He squinted his eyes at the bright light that greeted him as he left the building and stretched, his arms skyward. A popping noise caused a satisfied smile on his lips and he stood a bit straighter. Lee knew that his hair was probably a little tousled but he hadn't bothered to comb it. It was the weekend so what did he care. Taking a few steps forward, he decided to let his feet take him wherever they wished.

With his hands tucked securely into warming trouser pockets, Gaara strode his way down the pavement, the houses surrounding blocked together and three stories tall, imposing white figures reflecting the suns rising glare of glassy window eyes. Teeth tugged at a loose string of flesh on Gaara's bottom lip and a tongue came out to swill over the red tender flesh tasting iron and hurt. The shop wasn't too far away.

Barely awake, he didn't notice when he started to leave the campus, instead moving into the city part where stores littered every street along with apartment complexes and houses every now and then. Lee's gaze was trained on the sidewalk, making sure to avoid any dips that might trip him and any other people he passed. He didn't know where he was going but he didn't care. Just being out and about was enough and the fresh air was starting to wake him up.


End file.
